Adventures in the 13th Age

The hottest new show on TV

Shadows and Fire

Cold Open: Ext, Valley

Fire fills the frame, and as we pull back we see that it is a huge conflagration, with several buildings in a waterfall-studded valley aflame, lighting the dusk. We continue to pan back, and see two silhouetted figures against the flames: Arroway and Kel Rimik, facing off. Kel Rimik leaps, hands ready for the attack.
Blackness. The chyron reads “8 hours earlier”, and we fade four horses are trotting into the same waterfall-studded valley, with no flaming buildings. Arroway is in the lead, and as she approaches a rickety bridge a young guard steps forward. “I have been ordered to let no one in or out of the monastery, mistress. The Cave of Shadows has opened, and the Emperor’s Favor has been stolen.” Arroway, you know this young woman, but she bars your passage and it sounds like the monastery is in trouble. What do you do?

Cold Open: Ext, Bridge

Arroway steps forward. “Surely, child, the monastery is in trouble, and needs its mistress.” The guard agrees and lets them through.

At the prompting of Törk, Arroway explains that the Cave of Shadows is a local legend, a kind of breeding ground for monsters of many sorts. It’s more than a legend, though; it actually exists and the Monastery was built here to use the Cave as a training ground.

Int, Monastery Courtyard

They arrive at the monastery, a complex of many buildings surrounding a central courtyard dominated by a fountain. Sentries are posted on the outside wall, and a great many people are inside, many moving about rather quickly, making preparations. The complex is deocrated with banners and obviously ready for a party, but the mood does not match the decor.

Arroway finds Kel Rimik, who is surrounded by order members busy with business. He notices her and calls her forward.

Arroway inquires about the timeline of the opening of the Cave and the disappearance of the Favor, and Kel Rimik does little to clear up any questions, mostly because he does not know, but his demeanor shows that he does not fully trust Arroway and would rather she did not meddle in his affairs.

Flashback: Outside the Cave of Shadows

Arroway, Kel Rimik, and Matija fight a bevy of kobolds. They agree that the Cave is a threat, and that it must be tended to. The Favor will keep it safe, but someone must keep the Favor safe, and they agree that it will be them. They found the Monastery here to fulfill these goals.

Arroway asks if the Cave might be a distraction, and Kel Rimik motions her closer. “I have heard rumors that the The Prince of Shadows has infiltrated our Order. A distraction such as this would fit his style, and stealing the Favor would be in keeping with his predilictions." Arroway takes a moment, then manages to say that these rumors are troubling. Kel agrees, perhaps a bit too knowingly: “Troubling indeed.”

Flashback: Monastery Courtyard, at Night

The Monastery is new, just a few simple buildings with freshly cut trees all around. We see Kel Rimik sneaking through the underbrush away from the courtyard. We fast forward time and he approaches a cottage, peers into the window… and sees Arroway taking a package from an old man. Kel Rimik is heard, and Arroway investigates, but cannot find him. Arroway leaves, and Kel Rimik follows. When Kel Rimik arrives back at the Monastery, he sees Arroway fleeing into her room, and then finds Matija dead in the courtyard, a poison dart in his neck. Early the next morning, we see Arroway leaving, a pack slung over her shoulder, longingly looking back before heading out.

Arroway changes the subject. “Do you have any guesses as to who took the Favor?” Kel Rimik shakes his head, “There are nearly a thousand people at the Monastery for the Cherry Blossom Festival, not counting those in the Order.” Arroway frowns, “I’ve been away too long.” Kel Rimik gives a sneer, “I am glad that I was not the only knew who noticed.”

Arroway volunteers herself and her friends to go seal the Cave; Kel Rimik can investigate the Favor. Kel Rimik agrees, “Do it quickly. It’s time for you to go.”

Nameless is chatting with a well dressed wood elf, Farcil, representative of the Elf Queen. He is trying to leave. She is trying to press him for information about the Favor. He says he knows little and would have no use for the thing anyway. Nameless has no argument and leaves him alone. Arroway finds Nameless, lets Farcil go but warns him to stay in the monastery if he values his life.

Arroway and Nameless find Törk and Vessel, who have loaded a wagon with supplies and are now fighting to get Vessel‘s shirt back from the onlooking acolytes, which Vessel does with a quick teleport. Arroway explains the mission, and they’re off.

Ext, Forest Path

A bridge crosses a river in a well forested area near a ruin.

Ambush! Five ninjas made of shadow attack the party! Nameless tears through two with lightning and then gets surrounded; the others rescue her just before she falls.

The ninjas disappate like mist, and where they fell long-buried corpses lie: members of the order who never returned from the Cave.

Törk reveals his plan: the cart is full of lamp oil: shadows don’t like light, and a good fire will give ’em lots to dislike.

Arroway is unsettled by this plan at first, but then decides that it is the best solution for now.

Hollywood montage: oil pouring into the cave of shadows

The oil drops down, pools, seeps into cracks, trickles down stalactites, joins a stream, pours into an aquifer, and then is slurped up, up, up, and out the fountain in the Monastery’s Courtyard. Rack focus from the water to the background where the heroes are returning to the monastery.

Scene: Ext, Monastery Courtyard

Kel Rimik is trying again to convince Farcil to stay. Farcil asks if he is being asked or told. Kel says asked politely, knowing that the relationship of the Order and the Elf Queen is important, and that it would not do to have the public question it.

An old man is lighting his pipe near the fountain. A cook is starting the grill near a stream. The fireworks are being readied for tonight’s show.

Arroway asks if she can help. Kel Rimik says that the Favor is still missing, and asks for a miracle. Arroway asks Vessel if he can provide one. Vessel notes that he serves The One True God, and not the other way around. Arroway says she understands, but that “He listens to you” and “If you have it in you, now would be the time.”

At this moment, the old man’s match is dropped, the lamp oil catches fire, and everything explodes.

Commercial Break

Scene: Ext, Monastery Courtyard

Fire and rubble are everywhere. Arroway stands and helps Vessel up. They see Farcil disappear into the forest, followed by giant beasts of shadow. Behind them, a building collapses and a streaking is heard. Something large moves in the smoke, and then we see several heads made of fire and shadow writhing in the sooty air. It shrieks again as the heroes charge toward it.

The Fire Hydra lashes out with amazing speed, attacking everyone at once and seeming to roll right past any who stand in its way.

Törk and Nameless are merciless, though, and unleash fury upon it. Soon a head is stomped out… And another two rise to take its place. Again and again this happens, but finally, Arroway beats the last head down.

Kel Rimik returns, looking as if he just fought a similar battle elsewhere.

Arroway returns to the monastery on that fateful night and sees Matija dead in the courtyard, a poison dart in his neck. She sees Kel Rimik slipping into the barracks and goes looking for him, but no one is there."

Kel Rimik leaps at Arroway and the fight begins. Many jabs are made, but these foes are very evenly matched, and no hits land. The battle rages on, and eventually they both collapse. Kel Rimik, exhausted, says again: “It’s time for you to leave.”

Scene: Ext, Bridge

The heroes are ambling back across the bridge, leaving the Monastery.

Arroway finds a crashed cart, and inside is Farcil, or at least what’s left of him. Arroway pries open his hand and takes the Emperor’s Favor, a mithril glove stamped with the Order’s closed fist emblem. She looks across the valley at the monastery, then heads across the bridge and out of the valley.

Half way across the bridge, Vessel stops and the camera pulls in tight on his eyes. We hear The Priestess‘s voice: Vessel, the dead are rising. Something is wrong and I am calling you and many more to the Cathedral to deal with the problem. Come quickly. The camera pushes back out, and sweat beads on Vessel’s brow, “Guys…”